1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to resonant switching power transfer devices, and more particularly to improved algorithms, methods and systems for analyzing and operating a switched power supply for efficient operation over a wide range of power output.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In conventional resonant switching converters such as quasi resonant control DC-to-DC converters, a switching device, typically in the form of a semiconductor switch, turns on and off repetitively to pulse power from a source at high current levels. A simple prototype circuit is shown in FIG. 1.
As shown in FIG. 2, when the switch is turned on, the current ramps up at a generally linear rate, until the switch is turned off. The switch transitions are controlled by a controller, not shown in FIG. 1. After the switch is turned off, the diode conducts, discharging the tank circuit, and transferring energy to the transformer secondary and load. When the output diode stops conducting, the voltage across the switch begins to oscillate, initially dropping. A typical quasi resonant control triggers the switch to begin conducting at the first nadir or valley of this oscillation, to begin the cycle again.
The active switch may be controlled to close at any portion of the cycle. However, the power consumed by switching is proportional to the voltage squared impressed on the switch times capacitance of the switch, and also switching frequency, and thus designs have evolved which attempt to turn the switch on during a zero or minimum voltage phase of the dynamic transient. This process is called zero voltage switching (ZVS). The minimum voltage across the active switch may be non-zero in DC power supplies during normal operation.
A related topology provides zero current switching, in which the conduction state of an active switch is changed when a current is zero, called zero current switching (ZCS).
In order to time the closing of the active switch, a number of techniques are traditionally employed, for example, analog sensing of a minimum voltage, threshold sensing, or the like. Since, in many designs, the ringing of the transient oscillation decays to a value above the minimum voltage, for example the positive supply rail, and complex sensing algorithms are difficult to implement, traditionally, the switching logic is controlled based on a time delay, a voltage threshold, or a first-derivative zero crossing trigger.
In a power supply designed for a range of loads, efficiency at low loads may be impaired due to switching power loss. In essence, a suitable low impedance semiconductor switch for high currents has a high intrinsic gate capacitance. Therefore, the typical strategy of activating the switch at the first valley of the turn-off transient to recharge the tank, and adjusting the charge time in dependence on the load (i.e., pulse width modulation), results in excess losses due to switching inefficiency.
It is well known in the art that a turn-on loss in a DC-DC converter is markedly reduced by applying the zero-volt switching (ZVS) method to the voltage-resonant converter.
A conventional Quasi-Resonant Converter (QRC) is designed to achieve zero-voltage switching, or at least minimum-voltage switching. That is, the power MOSFET is turned ON at the first valley (minimum) of the drain voltage. The rational is that the potential energy stored in the primary resonant capacitor (C=Cp+parasitic) is equal to xc2xdCV2. This energy is dissipated by the power MOSFET every time it switches on. So by minimizing V, power loss is minimized.
However, the actual switching power loss is xc2xdCV2f, where f is the switching frequency of the power supply. The switching frequency of a QRC varies proportional to the input voltage, and inversely proportional to the output load. Hence switching power loss becomes unacceptably high under the worst-case combination of maximum input voltage and minimum load. This severely limits the operating range of a conventional QRC.
In a typical quasi resonant power supply design, for example using a Sanken F6656 controller, the controller does not detect the minimum value (xe2x80x9cvalleyxe2x80x9d) of drain voltage directly. Instead it relies on fixed threshold crossing detection. Hence zero-voltage switching is not achieved even under best operating condition, e.g., 110V AC input and 80W load.
The frequency of operation varies greatly with line and load conditions. The frequency is highest under the combination of maximum line input and minimum load. Higher frequency results in higher EMI, and also higher switching loss. Consequently, operation range of this QRC is severely restricted due to limited frequency range. This limitation is not the fault of the analog controller, but a problem inherent in the self-oscillating mode of quasi-resonant operation.
High frequency Resonant, Quasi Resonant, and Multi-Resonant Converters have been discussed in many articles, see, e.g., various publications and patents by Fred C. Lee of Virginia Power Electronics Center; U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,720,667 (Lee et al), 4,720,668 (Lee et al), 4,857,822 (Tabisz et al.), for several examples of zero-current-switched quasi-resonant converters. Soft-Switching techniques, which include zero-voltage switching (ZVS) and zero-current switching (ZCS), have been employed in those converters to reduce switching loss incurred by the main switching element(s), typically a power MOSFET, in order to improve the overall efficiency of the power converter.
Zero-current-switched quasi-resonant converters (ZCS-QRCs) reduce turn-off losses by shaping the switching transistor current to zero prior to turn-off. This allows ZCS-QRCs to operate at frequencies up to about 2 MHz. Further increase of the switching frequency of ZCS-QRCs is difficult to accomplish because of capacitive turn-on loss. Also, the Miller effect comes into play in that it relates to turn-on of the transistor at non-zero-voltage and the resultant parasitic oscillations caused by the output capacitance of the transistor.
Zero-voltage-switched quasi-resonant converters reduce the problem of turn-off losses by shaping the switching transistor voltage to zero prior to turn-on. As a result, ZVS-QRCs can operate at higher frequencies, up to 10 MHz. However, the ZVS-QRCs have two major limitations. One problem is excessive voltage stress to the switching transistor proportional to the load range. This makes it difficult to implement ZVS-QRCs with wide load variations. Another problem is caused by the junction capacitance of the rectifying diode used in the quasi-resonant converter. When the diode turns oft, this junction capacitance oscillates with the resonant inductance. If damped, these oscillations cause significant power dissipation at high frequencies; undamped, they adversely affect the voltage gain of the quasi-resonant converter and, thus, the stability of the closed-loop system.
By definition, a Quasi-Resonance mode means that the system operates with variable frequency and with discontinuous current. The oscillation frequency is not directly controlled for a quasi resonant converter. Instead, the ON-time Ton and OFF-time Toff of the power switching device is controlled. Frequency variation is a result of changes in Ton and Toff.
The ON-time of the power device is determined by the DC supply voltage, the primary inductance, the maximum drain current, as well as the feedback (regulation) voltage. In the case of a preferred embodiment of the invention, a quasi resonant converted embodiment is provided with a peak value of Id of 6A, which is given by Vth (0.73V) divided by R4 (0.12 ohm). At 110V AC input, dl/dt=V/L=150V/142 xcexcH=1.06A/xcexcS, approximately. The maximum Ton is then 5.6 xcexcS (in the absence of feedback voltage). The presence of feedback voltage adds a DC bias (which is proportional to the output error signal) to the current waveform. As the output voltage gets closer to tie regulated value, a higher DC bias is applied. This essentially lowers the peak value of Id, which is equivalent to making Ton shorter, and hence less energy is transferred each cycle.
The OFF-time of the power device is traditionally determined by how long it takes for the output diode to finish conducting (load-dependent), plus a time period for the drain voltage to drop to its minimum value. When the power device is first turned off; Vd (drain voltage) rises to its peak value, which is equal to Vdc plus the reflected voltage form secondary (output voltage times transformer turn-ratio), as long as the output diode is still conducting. Once the output diode stops conducting, Vd starts to fall towards its minimum of Vdc minus reflected voltage, at a rate determined by the resonant frequency of the primary L-C circuit. This time duration is given by T=xcfx80{square root over ({square root})}(Lpxc2x7Cp), where Lp and Cp are inductance and capacitance of the primary side.
For efficiency and EMI considerations, it is desirable to turn on the MOSFET when Vds drops to zero (zero-voltage switching), or at least when it is at a minimum. In the case of the preferred quasi resonant control unit: Lp=142 xcexcH, Cp=470pF, hence T=0.81 xcexcS. The reflected voltage is about 150V.
Lab measurement of a known QRC controller integrated circuit, a Sanken F6656, showed that the MOSFET turns on when Vd drops to around 75V, under low line voltage (110V AC) and nominal load (80W). Thus, it is apparent that the circuit does not actually achieve zero-voltage switching. The situation is much worse under high line voltage (220V AC) and light load.
It is noted that the issues raised in this topology arise in a great variety of circuits, including but not limited to Quasi Resonant power supplies. However, the general issues arise in any case where a control strategy is implemented based on complex characteristics of a dynamic non-monotonic waveform to achieve optimal efficiency.
The present invention provides a system for controlling a system, wherein the control is implemented based on a non-monotonic dynamic waveform, to achieve an optimum performance under a wide range of output load and input line conditions.
According to one embodiment, an efficiency of the system is modeled, and a switch selectively operated in a plurality of time-differentiated modes in order to optimize performance.
According to a second embodiment, an operational range of a system is expanded to include a larger power output ratio by selectively operating a switch of the power supply on differing events.
It is noted that the performance parameter is typically efficiency, i.e., the ratio of power delivered to the load to power drawn from the source. However, other performance parameters may be optimized, for example load regulation, electromagnetic interference, heating of switch elements, or the like. Typically, the control according to the present invention comprises a programmable digital control receiving at least one digitized waveform, for example, the drain voltage Vd of a switching MOSFET. Likewise, an additional parameter would be the drain-source current Ids. Since the dynamic switching transient is of particular relevance, the MOSFET Vd must be sampled with sufficient precision to allow estimation of its true state. While generally, this transient must be sampled at a rate higher than the Nyquist rate of the highest principle frequency component, it is possible to subsample the signal, and attempt to reconstruct the waveform from a number of switching transients. This requires, however, a precision track and hold circuit, but permits a slower analog to digital converter circuit to be employed.
For example, in a quasi-resonant power supply, the switch may be operated synchronized with an oscillation of the tank circuit, wherein the synchronization may represent an arbitrarily selected oscillation, rather than being limited to a first waveform valley, as in present designs. The selected mode of operation may be selected based on a measured or estimated performance, and/or the measured or estimated effect of the putative selected mode on performance.
Thus, under high input voltage/low load conditions, which normally produce a very short on cycle, and thus high frequency operation, the typical QRC suffer from low efficiency, i.e., the ratio of power consumed within the power supply to power transferred to the load is high. In fact, the QRC need not operate at this high frequency in order to maintain load regulation; rather, the traditional control algorithm forces this condition. Thus, according to the present invention, the control algorithm is improved by inserting a delay prior to permitting switch activation. Thus delay may control the actual switch activation, or merely act as a gate for the nonnal minimal voltage switching algorithm.
According to the present invention, this delay may be generated in a number of ways. First, the input voltage and load may be directly or indirectly measured, for example by measuring the MOSFET switch Vds and Ids simultaneously, which, when multiplied, determine the power dissipated. Since we presume that the load is relatively constant over the course of a test, then the conditions which reduce the power drawn from the power source will maximize efficiency.
It is noted that, because the tank resonance decays over time to a local waveform minimum voltage which increases over time, with each succeeding interval, the relative power dissipation due to the switch transition itself will increase. In addition, as the time-period between switch intervals increases, the current draw during the on interval will increase. Thus, a most efficient solution to the problem is not an extraordinary delay in turn on. Thus, a local search for optimum switching interval will not normally yield a trivial and unworkable infinite delay.
Thus, the present invention balances the decreased efficiency of low loading frequency operation with the decreased efficiency of switching at a non-minimal voltage level, which are interrelated according to the formula P={fraction (1/2)}CV2f (switching loss) and P=I2R (conduction loss), where I is the RMS current, which can be readily calculated in known manner.
Experiments have determined that the most commonly selected switching intervals for maximum efficiency are the first, second and third resonance peaks. Therefore, in a typical design, the local search may be limited to these intervals in a feedback optimizing system, or a map may be defined limited to these choices in a look-up table based embodiment.
While often, the status of the system will be measured using an instantaneous power dissipation calculation, this is not always necessary. For example, in a microcontroller-based system, the load may sometimes be calculated based on operating parameters. Alternately, a relatively simple thermal sensor may be employed to detect the load dissipation. Finally, a relatively simple and non-time critical signal may be available corresponding to the load range.
Input voltage can often be easily measured, typically, the source has a low impedance and relatively small dynamic variation. This voltage may also be estimated based on other factors.
It is further noted that the power supply pulses may also be analyzed in order to control the power supply. In this case, precision timing, rather than voltage and current detection, are relied upon to detect operational parameters. Thus, the operational made of the system may be defined based on the operating frequencies. For example, as stated above, a particular limitation on the efficiency of a QRC power supply is the high voltage/low load condition, which, inherently, can be detected based on the frequency. The on time of the MOSFET switch, Ton, is controlled by the power supply controller based on an error signal from the output, and will be short under lightly loaded conditions and high input voltage. Simply by detecting (or knowing, since this is a controlled parameter) the Ton duration and operating frequency, the operational mode of the circuit may be detected. By employing a control sensitive to this operational mode, and thereby selecting a delay window for switching, further control of the circuit is achieved, with potential for enhanced efficiency.
In the case of analog controller, as used in traditional power supply control circuits, the control algorithms are relatively primitive. As the same control algorithm has to cover all operating conditions, optimized operation is usually only possible over a narrow region, and many circuit components must be over-designed to cover worst-case combinations (such as highest line voltage and lowest load, or lowest line voltage and highest load).
The use of a digital controller for power conversion circuits provides many advantages over their traditional analog counterpart. One main advantage inherited in the digital controller is in its flexibility in implementing control algorithms, and indeed the ability to readily alter the control algorithm adaptively. A second is the ability to readily provide path dependence, i.e., a memory for a prior state. In the case of digital controller, as the control algorithm is implemented in software, various control methods can be analyzed, without physically altering the circuit configuration. More sophisticated control algorithm can be developed for digital controller in order to optimize efficiency of the power supply over a wide range of operating conditions.
The MOSFET on time (Ton) determines how much energy is stored into the primary inductance during each switching cycle. Its duration depends on the DC input voltage Vdc and the primary inductance Lp. Higher Vdc or smaller Lp means steeper slope, hence shorter Ton. In the case of digital controller, we can measure the value of Vdc. As Lp is known and fixed, we can then calculate maximum value of Ton directly and program it into PWM. So in this case, no cycle-by-cycle peak current detection is necessary. In order to achieve voltage regulation, we can sample the output voltage and subtract dT from the value of Ton, where dT is proportional to the error signal of output voltage. That is, make Ton shorter if the output voltage is too high, and make Ton longer (but within the maximum limit) if the output is too low. This also provides an additional and independent advantage, being able to control the output accurately and adaptively, and to predict and control transients.
Thus, it is an object according to the present invention to provide a digital control for a power supply to infer an efficiency factor, and control the power supply, e.g., the switching of the MOSFET, based on this variable.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a control for a resonant mode power supply capable of selecting a desired oscillation cycle or portion of a cycle, e.g., a selected order local minimum of the damped oscillation following a switching transient in a quasi resonant control, to cause a switch transition to occur.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a programmable digital control for a power supply implementing an adaptive feedback dependent control algorithm for maximizing an inferred efficiency factor of the power supply.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide a time gate for selecting a window for activation of a switching process, on or after an initial permissible switching window.